Neurological complications of surgery and anaesthesia

Abstract

Injury to the central and peripheral nervous systems is often permanent. As such, adverse neurological outcomes of surgery and anaesthesia can be devastating for patients and their families. In this article, we review the incidence, risk factors, outcomes, prevention, and treatment of a number of important neurological complications in the perioperative period.

Keywords: anaesthesia; delirium; neurological complications; neurological outcomes; postoperative cognitive dysfunction; postoperative visual loss; spinal cord ischaemia; stroke; surgery.